Cape Town June 20^th, 2025 – RES4Africa Foundation, in collaboration with Nedbank CIB, the European Investment Bank's (EIB) development arm (EIB Global), and with the support of Enel Foundation as key partner, successfully concluded the AM-Powering Africa: Uniting Energy Leaders for a Just G20 Forum in Cape Town. Held in the context of South Africa’s G20 Presidency, the high-level event brought together leading voices from European Development Finance Institutions, African energy stakeholders, and international partners to advance a harmonised vision for Africa’s just energy transition.

Designed as an exclusive breakfast-format gathering, the Forum convened C-suite executives, policymakers, and energy experts for an open and strategic dialogue. Participants discussed how to align financial support, grid investment, and policy action to accelerate the continent’s renewable energy rollout while contributing to Africa’s shared messaging within the G20 Ministerial Working Groups.

The agenda featured a keynote speech by the Honorable Minister for Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. The central Town Hall discussion was opened by Andrea Clerici, Director of Corporate Finance and Global Activities Department at the EIB. It was moderated by Amith Singh, Head of Energy Finance at Nedbank CIB, and brought together key representatives of African energy leadership and European DFIs. The event concluded with closing remarks by Daniel Mminele, Group Chairman for Nedbank, who underscored the bank's commitment to shaping Africa's energy future.

Discussions centred on three key themes:

• Affordable, Clean, Modern Energy for a Just Transition: underscoring the socioeconomic benefits of renewables, including electrification, job creation, and community empowerment.
• Driving Economic Growth through Renewable Electricity Markets: highlighting the need for robust electricity market design and renewable-based industrialisation.
• A Harmonised Approach to Energy Access: calling for coordinated investment in grids, skills development, and public-private partnerships to ensure system-wide resilience.

Participants emphasised the crucial role of DFIs, commercial banks, and international partners in bridging Africa’s infrastructure investment gap and supporting long-term energy resilience. The CEO Forum showcased the potential of aligning European financial instruments with Africa’s renewable energy ambitions, especially in areas such as grid reinforcement, clean energy, manufacturing, and skills development.

“Africa’s energy transition cannot succeed through fragmented actions alone. What’s needed is a unified, systemic approach that brings together finance, infrastructure, skills, and policy in one strategic vision,” said Roberto Vigotti, Secretary General of RES4Africa Foundation. “This CEO Forum demonstrated how Africa and Europe can co-design a just, inclusive energy future that speaks with one voice on the global stage—especially as we look toward the G20.”

“Africa’s energy future calls for our collective ability to mobilise capital, technology, and policy in a coordinated way. At the EIB, we see immense potential in aligning European financial instruments with Africa’s renewable energy ambitions. As this Forum has also demonstrated, through strategic partnerships and a shared vision, we can build resilient, inclusive energy systems that power sustainable growth across the continent,” said Andrea Clerici, Director of Corporate Finance and Global Activities Department at the EIB.

“At Nedbank, we believe that Africa's energy transition is not just an environmental imperative but a socio-economic opportunity,” said Amith Singh, Head of Energy Finance at Nedbank CIB. “By fostering collaboration between financial institutions, policymakers, and industry leaders, we can create a resilient and inclusive energy landscape that benefits all Africans. This forum has been instrumental in aligning our efforts towards a unified vision for sustainable development within the G20 framework. Our commitment to a Just Energy Transition means not only delivering megawatts but also unlocking jobs, building local capabilities, and ensuring community inclusion. Together, we can shape a sustainable future that is bankable, inclusive, and built to last.”

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